Susan Cline on mon 20 oct 03
Perhaps a stupid question, but here goes:
I understand that shells are used effectively in wood firing, both as decoration and as support, but here's the question: Can I use shells as support (stilts?) at ^6 Oxidation? And a related question: can I use "wadding" at that temp? If so, how does one mix the wadding material? etc?
I've never seen wadding (or shells) used at ^6, and it seems such a sensible solution to the kiln wash vs. clay tile paddies methods of keeping the glaze off the shelves. What am I missing?
Thanks much.
Sue Cline
Cincinnati Ohio
Sue Leabu on mon 20 oct 03
Susan Cline wrote:
>Perhaps a stupid question, but here goes:
I understand that shells are used effectively in wood firing, both as
decoration and as support, but here's the question: Can I use shells as
support (stilts?) at ^6 Oxidation? And a related question: can I
use "wadding" at that temp? If so, how does one mix the wadding material?
etc? I've never seen wadding (or shells) used at ^6, and it seems such a
sensible solution to the kiln wash vs. clay tile paddies methods of keeping
the glaze off the shelves. What am I missing?>
Hi Susan,
When I woodfire, I use shells only when the pot is being fired on its side
as a decorative element. Pots being fired right side up are just wadded on
the bottom without shells. (I also don't always use shells on side-fires,
sometimes just wadding, depends on the pot.) I don't use exterior glaze on
most of my pots. Just rely on the ash to accumulate and melt and the flame
marks for the exterior decoration.
The wadding we use is a mixture of sand, fireclay, and wheat bran. (Don't
have the recipe here right now, so there may be other ingredients.) Some
people use sawdust, we switched over to wheat bran because it makes the
wadding easier to remove after the firing. Lots less grinding!
I have side-fired pots in a ^10 reduction wadded with shells similar in
technique to what Dick Lehman does. Take a look at his site
www.dicklehman.com for examples. When I do, I use a bisqued clay tray under
the wadding and shells to catch any drips from the ash and glazes. I use
exterior glaze because of the direct flame and fly ash interaction present
in the wood kiln is missing in the gas kiln. I would imagine you could do
something similar at ^6 with ash glazes and oxides, though I've never tried
it.
Using wadding as a substitute for kiln wash for standard firings doesn't
seem like it would be a big advantage. Making up wadding and then wadding
every pot every time would be a lot more labor instensive than washing
shelves periodically. That's how it seems to me, anyway.
Sue
Kalamazoo, MI
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